Misshapen Destiny
by Tangent
Summary: A Ranma who all-but-drowned in Nyanniichuan has to adapt to life as a fulltime girl, aided by friendly Amazons and other surprising allies... and how do the Senshi fit into this?
1. Today I Die, to be Born Anew/Very Bad, Y...

Ranma - Misshapen Destiny  
A Ranma 1/2 - Sailor Moon fanfict by Tangent   
  
Updated: 05/07/2001  
  
CHAPTER ONE: Today I Die, to be Born Anew  
ALTERNATELY: Very Bad, You Fall in Spring, Ranma  
  
NOTE: in this first section, Chinese dialogue is represented like so: "Good morning"; while other languages are represented like so: ^Good morning^. Specific thoughts are surrounded by [brackets], and Genma's signs (when he finally starts using them) by [[double brackets]].  
  
Khu Lon led her great granddaughter around the last bend in the trail that lay between Joketsuzoku and Jusenkyo. Xian Pu would one day be an elder of the amazon village, so Khu Lon took it upon herself to make sure that she knew the lands about Joketsuzoku and the risks they held. Risks great enough to have kept the greater area of China from trying to enforce its dominance over the region, whether it be the old Imperial government or the more recent communist regime. Jusenkyo was but one of those dangers that held the outer world at bay, and today Xian Pu was to become more familiar with it.  
  
As they turned the bend and could see down the valley of cursed springs, they saw something else as well. In the distance, they could see that the guide was showing a pair of men, Japanese to judge from their training gi, the springs. Khu Lon idly wondered if the guide had enough sense yet to have warned the outsiders of the risks before they got to where they were standing. She herself made sure that Xian Pu knew to approach the springs with caution. [I guess not,] she thought, as she witnessed the two strangers leap onto the poles without hesitation. [Either that or they are truly serious about their training].  
  
"Hmph!" Xian Pu snorted. "They must be pretty stupid to just leap up like that. They're not even using the training grounds the way they were meant to be used." Indeed, the two strangers were not trying to make there way across the springs by leaping from pole to pole. What they were doing was actually more impressive - they were fighting eachother in midair while leaping from pole to pole. Xian Pu could not help but to be impressed, despite herself.  
  
"They're pretty good, Xian Pu," Khu Lon pointed out. "Neither one has fallen in yet, and it has been some time since I've seen anyone so focused on midair combat...or so skilled." Khu Lon recognized the style, but couldn't place it in her memory just yet. She gave Xian Pu a moment to show that she was impressed after all, before she went on. "Still, their level of skill will put one of then in a spring sooner or...Ah, I see one has already been knocked in." Khu Lon sighed. It was never easy for the newly cursed, and these two were skilled enough that neither one would have fallen in if they hadn't been fighting. She watched as the younger one leaped to a closer pole in concern, and expected to see him dive in if the other one didn't emerge from the spring soon. They would both end up with the same curse then...Spring of drowned Panda if she remembered correctly.  
  
Sure enough, a giant panda leaped out of the pool and landed on top of one of the poles. Khu Lon was surprised. Not only was the panda assuming a human stance, he seemed to be unaware of the change. [He is too focused on the fight,] she thought. [The other one is in danger!] She picked up the pace, but she knew that she would be too late to prevent the other from being hurt or knocked into a spring himself...possibly both. Xian Pu followed her at a dead run.  
  
All too soon Khu Lon's fears were realized, for despite dodging the first few blows, the younger man was sent flying across the springs in short order. They could only watch helplessly as he fell towards a pool they both knew by reputation - the Spring of Drowned Girl. Khu Lon flinched as she saw the young man crack his head against the side of the spring as he landed.  
  
Xian Pu felt sick. No one had died at Jusenkyo for quite awhile, and now she had the dubious honor of witnessing what may be the latest casualty. Dying in battle was one thing, but drowning? It gave her shivers. To die without even being conscious enough to try to save oneself was even worse. She could not let it happen if she could help it, and ran all that much faster.  
  
They saw the body finally float to the surface, face down and limp, and watched the Panda go into hysterics. It reached in and pulled the girl from the spring, changing somewhat as it did so, and laid her on her back. As it tried to see if the girl was still alive, it finally noticed its own condition. The sight of it panicking would have been comical if it wasn't for the potential tragedy of the girl's condition. Unfortunately, the panda-girl had apparently stopped thinking and ran off.  
  
Khu Lon glared darkly at the retreating panda as she finally reached the girl. She checked for breathing and a pulse, but found neither.  
  
"Elder Khu Lon," the guide said, knowing her as a local, "I have been trained in CPR. I may be able to restore her breathing if you give me some room..."  
  
"Her heart has stopped as well," Khu Lon pointed out.  
  
"CPR covers that, but I've got to hurry!" The plea for her not to interfere was unspoken, but there.   
  
Khu Lon shook her head. She didn't know what 'seapiyar' was, but she had ancient amazon techniques that covered this sort of situation. Techniques that worked and worked well. She removed the girl's gi and began to apply pressure points to various locations in order to induce the heart to start beating again. She directed Xian Pu to alternate between putting rhythmic pressure on the girl's abdomen and breathing for her though her mouth.  
  
Soon, the girl started choking and coughing, so they turned her head, and Khu Lon applied pressure point to aid the girl in clearing her lungs...and stomach as it turned out. Fortunately for their own sense of nausea, it was all water, regardless. After a moment, the girl's system was clear, and she rolled over again to rest.  
  
Khu Lon was surprised when the guide informed her that she and her great granddaughter had just performed CPR, although CPR lacked the pressure point techniques that she had used. [What has gone by in the outer world since I have last ventured into it?] She restored the girl's gi and waited for her to come to her senses.  
  
* * *  
  
Ranma felt dizzy and disoriented. A part of her mind was already aware of her new status as a girl, but she was too dazed to react to that fact just yet. Her head hurt where it had struck the side of the spring she fell in, and her lungs felt as if she had run all day doing one of her father's annoying training exercises. To make matters worse, her sense of balance kept telling her that 'down' was in a different direction than towards the ground. Right at the moment, 'down' was somewhere in the sky.  
  
^How do you feel?^ asked a voice belonging to a small elderly woman.  
  
^My father's a panda...^ Ranma said, remembering. This seemed somehow fitting for some reason, but she still hoped it was part of a bad dream.  
  
^That is correct,^ Khu Lon confirmed. ^He fell into the Shonmaoniichuan and turned into a giant panda.^ She decided to hold off on telling the girl about her father's further shift into a panda-girl thing until later. Not that she wouldn't be told, but right after a concussion was a bad time to inflict even worse news.  
  
^I feel like I'm about to fall down into the sky...^ Ranma observed. The sensation was giving her a mild feeling of vertigo, as well as a vague desire to reach out and try to snatch back her wandering thoughts. Her arms waved about weakly for a moment as she attempted to do so.  
  
^You have a concussion,^ Khu Lon pointed out helpfully. ^Your sense of balance will return in a day or so.^  
  
^Have I really turned into a girl?^ Ranma had to ask. ^Or is it just another effect of the concussion that is making me feel this way?^ Ranma vaguely hoped that this was the case. She knew that she would ordinarily be more upset than this, but she just couldn't summon the energy for some reason. She had a sneaking suspicion that her masculine self-image had fallen into the sky along with her sense of balance. She would have to go pick them up later, along with the other random thoughts she felt were drifting out there...  
  
^No, you really are a girl now,^ Khu Lon informed Ranma. ^You had fallen into the Nyanniichuan and drowned.^  
  
^Drowned?^ asked Ranma. ^As in dead?^ This bit of information started to pull Ranma's attention back to reality. If you could call dying and recovering as a girl reality. Ranma started to feel sick...and not just from the concussion either.  
  
Khu Lon elaborated. ^My great granddaughter, Xian Pu, and I resuscitated you.^  
  
^Shampoo?^ Ranma wondered who would name their daughter that. Xian Pu, who had been relying on the guide for translation, was a little annoyed that the stranger had mispronounced her name.  
  
^No, Xian Pu,^ Khu Lon corrected. ^I am Khu Lon, an Elder of Joketsuzoku. You may think of us as a tribe of amazons.^  
  
^I think I may need to practice pronouncing your names correctly...sorry.^ Ranma apologized. ^They sound like English words for cosmetic products to me.^  
  
^We will try to be patient with you,^ Khu Lon chided.  
  
^Amazons are female warriors, right?^ Ranma asked. This was a fact that he had learned during the training journeys she and her father had been on while she was a guy. Her father discounted the notion that women could be worthy opponents, but Ranma needed desperately for him to have been wrong about this opinion.  
  
^That is correct,^ Khu Lon confirmed.  
  
^May I train at Junket-suzuki?^ Ranma asked. She didn't want to beg, but there was a desperate hope in her eyes.  
  
^We shall see,^ Khu Lon told her. ^If we are going to train you, I will need to know your name.^  
  
^Oh...sorry,^ Ranma apologized. ^I am...was...Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Thank you for saving my life.^ Ranma tried to get up and bow, but ended up somersaulting and lying on the ground again instead. ^I feel sick...^  
  
SCENE BREAK: A few hours later, at Jusenkyo...  
  
Ryoga silently cursed Ranma for running out on their man to man fight. He had followed, or at least tried to follow, the Saotomes ever since they had resumed their training journey last year. Now he was somewhere in China (he guessed) and he had no idea if he was even anywhere near the target of his search.  
  
Just a few hours ago, he had dodged out of the way of a giant panda that was running at high speed on its hind legs. That had been one of the strangest experiences of his life. He had almost fallen off of a cliff at the time, so his heart rate was up and he was still a little shaky from the experience.  
  
Up ahead, he could see a valley full of springs, each with one or more bamboo poles standing in them. He could see a shack off to one side, and made his way there in order to ask if anyone there had seen Ranma Saotome.  
  
A little while later, Ryoga came back out of the shack laughing. What the guide had told him had to be the funniest thing he ever heard. There was no point in chasing after Ranma now, so he decided to go home...or try to anyway. The thought of his hated rival having been turned into a girl was just too rich. Ryoga just couldn't bring himself to hold a grudge against Ranma anymore. It was terribly funny though.  
  
He was laughing so hard that he didn't see that he was walking right for one of the springs.  
  
SPLASH!  
  
SCENE BREAK: A short time ago, not too far away...  
  
Genma wondered what she would do. She was a panda-thing, and Ranma was dead. Her only son was dead, and she had killed him, even if it had been an accident. Even had Ranma not died back at Jusenkyo, they would have been as good as dead if they returned to Nodoka. Ranma had died a girl, so the spring would have probably still turned him into one even if he hadn't drowned.  
  
Her only son was dead, and she had been at fault. If she met Nodoka now, she would gladly perform her duty and take her own life. She had been terrified of the prospect of being forced to commit seppuku at first, but the pain in her heart was too great. Her only son was dead, and she had killed him. She wanted to die herself.  
  
Her eyes were too full of tears for her to notice the hot springs as she drew near them.  
  
SPLASH!  
  
[Well,] he thought, [I'm a man again, for all the good it does me. I had better go back and get Ranma's body, so that I may take it back to Japan for a proper funeral.] His clothes were a secondary concern, but he wouldn't shame Nodoka by traveling around naked if he could help it. After the funeral, he would ask his friend, Soun, to take care of his wife. Then he would commit seppuku as his honor and heart demanded. Life had suddenly become too painful to bear.  
  
As he drew near Jusenkyo once more, he saw a laughing boy fall into one of the springs. He ran over to fish the boy out before anything else happened to him, and was able to pick up the wet and panicked cat that surfaced out in his place. Even just his hand and forearm in the spring enough to trigger another transformation. The cat grew still in shock, partly from being a cat, but mostly from being picked up by an enormous monster that looked like a cross between a giant panda and a cat. Taking note of her third change, Genma simply picked up the former boy, using the neo-cat's shock to save her the trouble of trying to keep a hold of it as she took it to the shack. The giant... thing... knocked on the door.  
  
^Ah...Mr. Customer?^ the guide greeted a bit awkwardly. It was a guess, as he hadn't really known what would occur if anyone was exposed to an additional Jusenkyo curse, but the female cat-monster looked like it used to be a panda. With only two customers in the past year, he figured that it was a safe bet. ^You are back! Allow me to get hot water ready! I have good news for you! Very good!^  
  
  
SCENE BREAK: Later that evening, at the amazon village of Joketsuzoku...  
  
^Today, I have died.  
^All that I've done is past me.  
^I am born anew.^  
Ranma Saotome, as she lay recovering in the amazon village of Joketsuzoku.  
  
Ranma lay in the bed that Khu Lon had prepared for her, and reflected on the meaning of the haiku she had just made. Of all she had had before, as little as it was, she had lost nearly everything. Her father was a panda, and was probably off eating bamboo somewhere, never to know that he was just some hot water away from being a man again...until he encountered cold water again, anyway.  
  
It seemed that she herself, because she had actually died in the Nyanniichuan, could not change back so easily. They had tried pouring water of up to scalding temperatures on her back at the guide's shack, to no avail. All it had gotten them was an irate, if still disoriented, slightly cooked Ranma.  
  
They had brought her to Joketsuzoku to continue their efforts to help the victim of the Nyanniichuan. They had also brought both Ranma's belongings and her father's. The packs lay at the foot of the bed. Certain items from both packs had already been removed, such as a postcard and several booklets and pamphlets from Genma's. These would hopefully provide clues to the whereabouts of the girl's family when they examined them later.  
  
Four amazons, Khu Lon, Xian Pu, and two others known as Pir Fum and Kho Ome, were in the room with her. Xian Pu was tending to Ranma as Pir Fum and Kho Ome were heating water in a large tub.  
  
^I assume your situation has inspired your haiku?^ Khu Lon asked. She was preparing a special herbal lotion for the latest idea that the tribe had come up with. It was possible that the temperature trigger for the curse had moved past the endurance limits of even a trained human body, and the lotion would temporarily raise those limits past the boiling point...far past, if it was utilized properly. The girl had refused to be cooked again, and wouldn't go along with the idea until Xian Pu volunteered to do it with her. If this worked, then they would give Ranma one of the very hard to prepare Phoenix Pills, and consider the problem solved. If it didn't, then they won't have wasted a pill.  
  
^You could say that,^ Ranma conceded. With her manhood and her father gone, a kind of void had sprung up in her life. Ranma wondered briefly if her mother was still alive, and then cast the thought aside as moot. Even if she saw her mother again, neither was likely to recognize the other without an introduction. And Ranma had left her as a son. She remembered that this was important for some reason, but for the life of her, she couldn't remember why.  
  
All she had left was the Art. If she could train here at Junket-suzuki, she would have that at least.  
  
^Very profound,^ Khu Lon observed. ^Now take off your clothes.^ Xian Pu complied, knowing that her great grandmother had meant for both her and Ranma to do so. Ranma blushed, averted her gaze, and hesitated. ^Remove your clothes, or we'll remove them for you. The lotion has to be carefully and thoroughly applied over your entire body or you could end up seriously burned or even dead!^  
  
^Couldn't I apply it myself?^ Ranma asked hopefully. Khu Lon, for some reason, found it odd that a practitioner of the Anything Goes style would be shy like this. She filed the thought away for future reference.  
  
^You don't know how yet, and you're still too disoriented to take instruction properly,^ Khu Lon explained. "Xian Pu."  
  
"Yes, great grandmother?"  
  
"The girl is too shy, and I expect that the lotion will lose it's greatest potency if we wait for her to be ready," Khu Lon explained. "Strip her and Pir Fum and Kho Ome will rub the lotion into both of you as I directed. I will touch all the required pressure points on both of you."  
  
"What if she resists?" Xian Pu asked. "She is recovering much faster than we expected."  
  
"Maybe so," Khu Lon conceded, "but she is still pretty weak from her ordeal. It is now or never, I fear." Ranma, whose understanding of Chinese was still very poor (and mostly involved profanity that had been directed at her father), didn't catch a word of this. Still, when a naked kawai girl starts to unceremoniously strip you, one tends to catch on to what has been discussed.  
  
Ranma was rolled over onto her stomach, and Kho Ome administered the lotion to her scalp and back. Ranma began to fidget when the amazon reached her ass, but calmed down again as Kho Ome did her legs. It helped that Pir Fum was doing the exact same thing to Xian Pu. Then the two girls were rolled over so that their faces and arms could be done. Ranma was only mildly embarrassed until Kho Ome moved to her torso.  
  
^H...hey!^ Ranma protested feebly. She started struggling again, but between her disorientation and the pressure points Khu Lon touched, she didn't have the strength to do much. ^Don't do that! I'll do it myself...what are you doing? Don't touch those... um... don't... ah... wow... hey! Stop that! Ah...oh...stop...um...HELLO! Stop that right now! I mean it! Er...oh, YES! Ah...NO! I mean no! Leave me alone! Er...oh my! Please stop! This is humiliating! Oh! (The next few comments, while not sexually explicit in and of themselves, have been deleted anyway. Partly due to an effort to stay well within the bounds of the forum that this edition is posted at - but mostly because the author thought that it would be more amusing to have this pointless censor in place of Ranma-chan alternating "no-yes" screams of increasing pitch for a couple of lines of repition...) Why'd you stop?^  
  
^Kho Ome has finished applying the lotion,^ Khu Lon explained, ^and was over stimulating you. I just thought that you'd appreciate it if I stopped her.^  
  
^Oh,^ Ranma said, embarrassed. ^Thank you. I don't know what came over me. Sorry.^  
  
Kho Ome giggled and translated the comment for Xian Pu and Pir Fum. "I would say that she came all over herself!" she joked afterwards, then giggled some more. The other three amazons just rolled their eyes and groaned, wondering if it had been such a good idea to include her after all. Of course, besides her and Khu Lon, the only other person in the village at this time who understood Japanese very well was Mu Tsu, and he was male. On the other hand Mu Tsu was well mannered, while Kho Ome was...not.  
  
^What did she say?^ asked Ranma, who already felt humiliated and violated enough for one day.  
  
^Nothing that bears repeating, Ranma,^ Khu Lon said with a sigh. ^The water is ready, so the two of you had best get in now, so that we can get the maximum effect from it.^  
  
The two girls got into the boiling water in tub. Each felt vaguely like they were being cooked for dinner, but the lotion protected them from the damage that the heat would have ordinarily caused. Kho Ome was making them both nervous with her attempts to add soup stock to the water, but Khu Lon and Pir Fum kept stopping her so she eventually settled on making lewd comments in both languages. Ranma and Xian Pu began to feel very uncomfortable, and more than a little embarrassed. Of course Ranma was already embarrassed, and was well on her way towards being humiliated, ashamed, and outraged.  
  
After fifteen minutes, when their fingers and toes started to prune, and they were beginning to feel uncomfortably warm, they were told to get out. Ranma was still a girl. She was, however, arguably the cleanest she had ever been in her life. She was also sleepy from the heat.  
  
Xian Pu and Pir Fum put the neo-girl to bed, while Khu Lon took Kho Ome away. More specifically, she took Kho Ome out of the village and gave her a good reprimand. Unfortunately, Khu Lon would have to think of a punishment that would affect Kho Ome. The little deviant liked pain and degradation about as much as she liked to humiliate and embarrass others.  
  
SCENE BREAK: Somewhere on the valley roads leading away from Joketsuzoku.  
  
Genma had a plan. With the discovery that his...child...was still alive, he had lost all desire to commit seppuku. Unfortunately, from what the guide had said, his...child...was stuck in girl form. That was no good. There was no cure at Jusenkyo either, he had discovered, but at least his cursed form had proper hands and could speak after a fashion. He once again wondered what he looked like - some hideous cross between the three forms represented by the springs that he had been exposed to he guessed. The boy, the new boy that is, seemed very nervous around him whenever he was in that form, so he gathered that it was quite intimidating.  
  
The amazons seemed to have taken Ranma in, so Genma decided to leave her there. She would be taken care of, and his conscience was content to retreat back into the murky depths of his subconscious mind. His child would live, and so would he.  
  
He had, however, sneaked in to grab his pack and take a last look at his child. He said nothing, not wanting to wake her and after a moment he left, never to return.  
  
In his mind, he had a son who, at times, behaved as if he had turned into a cat. Well, nothing much had changed then had it? He now had a son who, at times, actually did change into a cat. Much easier to explain to Nadoka than the neko-ken training. All he had to do was convince his 'son' that his name was Ranma Saotome, and he would be set!  
  
* * *  
  
Ryoga looked at Ranma's father with some confusion. He had expected Genma to retrieve Ranma from the village, but the older man had just gone in and come back out again with only his pack. Wasn't Ranma there?  
  
The guy seemed to be pretty out of it, and a little hysterical, so Ryoga decided to travel with him in order to keep him out of trouble. Besides, he needed a traveling companion in case he turned into a cat again. Cats aren't much for heating kettles, but Genma's youma form was very able in that ability given that it actually had hands to use. Too bad it gave him the willies. Never mind the claws and the teeth - it was the terminal fuzziness and huggability that got to him. Some things were just too cute for the world. That, and the fact that the adorable female youma happened to actually be a guy really creeped him out.  
  
Ryoga just couldn't shake this bad feeling he was having over the whole affair.  
  
END.  
  
OMAKE THEATER PRESENTS: Now We're Cookin'!  
  
The two girls got into the boiling water in tub. Each felt vaguely like they were being cooked for dinner, but the lotion protected them from the damage that the heat would have ordinarily caused. Kho Ome started top add soup stock to the water, and Ranma and Xian Pu looked nervously at Khu Lon. The elder amazon looked at Kho Ome for a moment, and then she and Pir Fum began to help her put more soup stock into the tub.  
  
Both of the girls looked at the would-be cooks in alarm.  
  
^H...hey!^ protested Ranma.  
  
END.  
  
DISCLAIMER: 'Ranma 1/2' and all characters therein belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogagukan, Kitty, and Viz Video. 'Sailor Moon' and all characters therein belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Toei Animation Co. Ltd. This fanfict has been produced for my own enjoyment and to pass on without profit. Other characters that come into play in this fanfict may or may not be pulled from other sources (including other fanficts, RPGs, manga, anime, literature, or possibly even *GASP* American comic books!).  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Some of you may be wondering where the Sailor Moon material is. I'm telling you now that, despite being a crossover story, this is primarily a Ranma 1/2 fanfict. Sailor Moon and the other senshi do not start making appearances until chapter four. 


	2. Amazon Ranma/The Tournament at Joketsuzo...

Ranma - Misshapen Destiny  
A Ranma 1/2 - Sailor Moon fanfict by Tangent   
Pre-reading and editing assistance by:  
Lord Talon;  
Nevrmore;  
And some guy named Steve.  
  
DISCLAIMER: 'Ranma 1/2' and all characters therein belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogagukan, Kitty, and Viz Video. 'Sailor Moon' and all characters therein belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Toei Animation Co. Ltd. This fanfict has been produced for my own enjoyment and to pass on without profit. Other characters that come into play in this fanfict may or may not be pulled from other sources (including other fanficts, RPGs, manga, anime, literature, or possibly even *GASP* American comic books!).  
  
A WORD FROM TANGENT: This chapter has proven difficult to write for various reasons. One of the main reasons is impatience, as I knew what I want to write after the events in this chapter take place, but had been undecided as to exactly what these events would be. Some discussion with Lord Talon and others has helped (I bounced ideas off of their heads - they tossed responses back...that sort of thing).  
  
CHAPTER TWO: Amazon Ranma  
ALTERNATELY: The Tournament at Joketsuzoku  
  
NOTE: in this second section, Chinese dialogue is still represented like so: "Good morning"; while other languages are represented like so: ^Good morning^. Specific thoughts are surrounded by [brackets], and Genma's signs (when he finally starts using them) by [[double brackets]].  
  
Ranma could feel his manhood slipping away as he drowned. The water filled her gasping lungs as she tried desperately to find the surface of the spring she had fallen into. Everything went dark for a moment, and then the water turned hot as she broke the surface. Kho Ome was there, adding soup stock, and looking at her with hungry eyes.  
Ranma tried to scramble out of the far end of the tub, but it had suddenly expanded into a boiling lake. Kho Ome laughed and laughed as Ranma ran away from her across the shallow lake. As she neared the middle of the lake, a frozen crystal pillar erupted from its surface before her. Inside, she could see the trapped figure of a man, unmoving as if frozen in time.  
Looking closer, Ranma could see that it was her masculine self trapped in the pillar, so she began to pound on the crystal barrier between herself and her true form. Again and again she struck the pillar, but to no avail. The crystal column showed no signs of damage. None at all...  
  
Ranma woke with a start. As nightmares went, the dream she had just awakened from had nothing on the nightmares she still had from time to time due to the neko-ken training. One of the things they had in common though was the general feeling of helplessness that was prevalent in the situations inherent in both dreams. Her father had caused most of those situations, and it was at times like these, nightmares fresh in her memory, that she hated him with a passion. The rest of the time she had alternated between grudging respect and general dislike for him, but all in all they usually got along fairly well as far as she knew. She didn't exactly have any real idea of what fathers were supposed to be like.  
Her father had not caused one of the situations in her new nightmare though. Nothing her father had ever done had made her feel so helplessly violated and humiliated as what Kho Ome had done to her that evening. Ranma could have found it in her heart to forgive the little deviant if she had done only what had been necessary to apply the heat resistant lotion. Unfortunately, Kho Ome just had to have her little fun at Ranma's expense, and had gone on to show the neo-girl just what having a female body meant, as far as physical pleasure was concerned. Ranma had protested, and meant it, but had been too weak at the time to resist Kho Ome's attentions. Ranma could feel a raging fury building inside her just thinking about it.  
Ranma forced herself to calm down. There was no point in getting angry without the subject of her anger present. Besides, she needed more sleep. As she lay down, she noticed something that made her sit back up again. At the foot of her bed, where the amazons had laid the packs that belonged to her and her father, there was something out of place. Genma's pack was gone!  
^That bastard!^ Ranma cried though suppressed tears. ^He took his pack and left me here!^ Ranma knew that her father had placed an inordinate amount of importance on raising his son to be a man among men for some reason beyond her understanding. Genma had virtually crammed how to behave like a man down her throat for as long as she could remember. But to abandon his only child just because she had become a girl? It was beyond her comprehension!  
Fighting tears of bitterness, Ranma forced herself to go back to sleep.  
  
In the morning Xian Pu and Khu Lon found Ranma out at the striking posts, practicing punches and kicks. Xian Pu was amazed at how quickly the neo-girl had recovered, but Khu Lon suspected that Ranma had learned (knowingly or not) how to direct her chi inward for healing purposes at a young age. Not many could do that, even among Masters of the Arts, and it spoke well of the girl's potential. Had the curse not had such a strong hold of Ranma, Khu Lon wouldn't consider adopting her for a moment, preferring rather to arrange a match between Ranma's male form and one of the amazons of the village...perhaps even Xian Pu. Unfortunately, it didn't look like the curse would be brought down to it's more manageable state anytime soon, so inducting the neo-girl as an amazon warrior allied to the village seemed to be the more expedient route to take.  
As the two got closer, it became evident that Ranma was very angry. They both could guess a number of reasons why this might be the case, and suspected that it was a combination of Kho Ome's actions the previous evening and the fact that the pack belonging to Ranma's father was missing. Khu Lon, who could understand Japanese, could confirm these suspicions as soon as they were within earshot of Ranma.  
^Pop, you baka!^ Ranma grumbled through tears of anger and resentment. ^Why'd you leave me?^ Punch. ^I know that raising me up to be a man among men was important to you, but to leave me just because I became a girl?^ Punch, punch, kick. ^Why?^ Punch, kick, punch, punch. ^You didn't even have the guts to wake me up and say goodbye, did you?^ Punch, kick, kick, punch, roundhouse kick. Punch, kick, punch, snap kick. ^When I get my hands on her, I'll...I'll...^  
^You'll what?^ asked Khu Lon. Xian Pu resolved to learn more Japanese so that she wouldn't be left in the dark at times like these. ^Kho Ome is a deviant who likes to experience pain and degradation as well as inflict it on others. I'm trying to think of a punishment that will even affect her significantly, let alone adjust her behavior.^  
Ranma turned to face the two amazons. After a moments thought she said, ^you could let me pound on her until I feel better.^  
^She would probably enjoy that more than you would, I'm sorry to say^ Khu Lon replied.  
^Tie her up and leave her alone in the dark?^ Ranma offered.  
^Already did that^ Khu Lon sighed with regret. ^It didn't work then, and I fail to see how it would work now.^  
^It would keep her out of everyone's way^ Ranma pointed out.  
^You have a point there^ Khu Lon conceded.  
^How about if you tied her up in fish cakes and threw her in a pit of starving cats?^ Ranma asked.  
^That training technique has been banned^ Khu Lon admonished. ^Where did you learn about it anyway?^  
^My stupid Pop tossed me into one when I was five or six,^ Ranma stated, shuddering at the memory. ^Over and over again. I thought he'd never stop...^  
^He has much to answer for then^ Khu Lon stated flatly, not letting the horror she felt show. The Neko-Ken was a dangerous technique, both to learn and to have. While it was learned best by young children, that was when most of the training fatalities occurred. The psychological scarring that the training induced was only one of the reasons that training anyone in the technique had been banned.  
[This,] she thought, [is why she recovered so quickly. Her father is either deranged or insanely irresponsible. She would have had to learn how to heal herself with her chi in order to survive being raised by such an idiot, let alone survive being trained by him.] She saw that Ranma had become upset to the point of being unable to speak.  
^We'll think of something,^ Khu Lon said, ^but training anyone in the neko-ken is not an option.^  
^Who said anything about training?^ Ranma asked. ^I meant throw her in and leave her in.^  
^Gods, child!^ exclaimed Khu Lon. ^Did Kho Ome upset you that much?^  
^In a word...yes!^ was all Ranma would say. Then she went back to practicing on the striking posts.  
  
Khu Lon thought about the events of the morning and the previous day. While she would like nothing better than to have another student of such caliber, there were some problems inherent with training Ranma here in Joketsuzoku. It would take many of the amazons awhile to accept Ranma as another amazon, especially given the nature of the girl's true gender. They automatically assumed that men were inferior, so someone who used to be a man was likely to receive a lot of ridicule. Ranma, having just gone through not one, but four traumatic experiences was not ready to take such teasing lightly.  
Another problem was the bad blood developing between the girl and Kho Ome. Although it truly was all Kho Ome's own fault, the young amazon had chosen to torment someone who was quite capable of causing her serious, even debilitating, injury. The only reason Kho Ome hadn't been so injured before was that her fellow amazons had long since learned that the best way to deal with the little deviant was to ignore her. Unfortunately, what she had done to Ranma could not, indeed should not, be ignored. Ranma felt violated and angry, and had every right to feel that way. Being abandoned by her father added to her frustration and anger. Kho Ome did not realize the danger that she had put herself in by provoking the newcomer in such a manner. Like most amazons, she had automatically assumed that Ranma was weak because she was an outsider. Instead, Ranma was one of the most promising students of the Arts that Khu Lon had ever seen.  
Ultimately, Ranma would have to be trained in the outer world, beyond the bounds of Joketsuzoku. This suited Khu Lon, for she decided that it was about time that she once again took stock of the outer world. It had been something of a surprise to her that this 'seapiyar' that the Jusenkyo guide had mentioned resembled an amazon healing technique. She wondered what else the outer world had been up to since the last time she really ventured out into it.  
It shouldn't be much of a problem to convince Xian Pu to come along, although her great granddaughter would not be happy that she was also considering bringing Mu Tsu along as well. Despite some of the problems inherent with his coming along, such as his myopic vision and thus far unrequited affection for Xian Pu, he was the only one in the village besides Kho Ome and herself who spoke Japanese with enough fluency to communicate effectively with Ranma. Bringing Kho Ome along was not a good idea by any stretch of the imagination, given how Ranma felt about her... Although it would probably solve on of the villages more embarrassing problems if Ranma killed her.  
Tempting...but no, Kho Ome was an amazon of Joketsuzoku like it or not (and many didn't), although if she kept on her current course of action banishment was becoming an appealing option. A little formula 119 and she wouldn't even be able to embarrass the tribe by telling anyone where she was from.  
  
Ranma was furious with Kho Ome for violating her like she had. She had found the little deviant wandering about shortly after her conversation with Khu Lon. Most of the village was shocked to find Kho Ome running for her life from the girl who was too weak to move much the previous day. Ranma had set new records for speed, strength and endurance for her age group. No, Kho Ome may enjoy pain and degradation, but not so much that she would need months to heal properly from. If she even survived Ranma's wrath that is. As it was, several joints in one of her arms were already severely dislocated, and Ranma seemed fully intent on doing the same to her other arm and perhaps both of her legs...  
Kho Ome had eventually sought shelter with the Council of Elders, begging for their protection. She even promised to behave herself if they would save her from the enraged outsider. The Council, which had been debating the merits of adopting an outsider who used to be a man, made their decision. Anyone who could scare Kho Ome into behaving herself deserved a chance to become a true amazon warrior, whether or not she settled in Joketsuzoku or had been a man only a day before. With such an impressive feat, they would have adopted Ranma even if she had been a guy at the time (mostly to save his bloodline for more deserving amazons than Kho Ome).  
Ranma had accepted initiation as an amazon warrior, glad for the chance to learn new techniques, and readily pledged to become an ally of the village should she decide to seek her destiny in the outer world. After her show with Kho Ome, there was no objection to letting her participate in the ranking tournament later in the day. She was especially pleased to find out that she was taking Kho Ome's place in the event, and that this bothered Kho Ome. It would be another year before the next tournament took place, and Kho Ome was fuming over her loss in status.  
  
"This tournament is for armed combat, Ranma," Khu Lon reminded the neo-girl. "Are you sure you don't want a weapon?"  
"Ranma thank Elder Cologne for great honor, but Anything Goes style mostly unarmed. Even against weapons." Ranma's speech in the dialect of Joketsuzoku was halting and broken at best, but was still a testament to how quickly the girl could learn if she put her mind to it. If there was one thing beneficial about being raised by Genma, it was that Ranma had learned how to pick up spoken languages quickly. All too often, such ability had proven to be a survival trait, as Genma would have them settle down in one general location for a few months only to pick up stakes and move on, as like as not to another country entirely. As it was, Ranma could speak upwards of a dozen languages besides Japanese, and several dozen dialects within those languages, but usually only just well enough to have an accent that was best described as 'kawaii'. And that had been when she was still a boy.  
"Well, if you change you're mind before any particular match, you know where to come," Khu Lon said.  
"Will keep in mind, Honored Elder," Ranma replied.  
"After the tournament, you should get your things ready for travel," Khu Lon stated.  
"What mean?" asked Ranma, bewildered. "Ranma thought was staying."  
"Do not worry, child," Khu Lon responded. "We are going to Japan to find your family, if possible. In any event, you will be receiving at least part of your training outside the bounds of Joketsuzoku."  
"Ranma think understand," Ranma said with resignation. "Amazon view of men similar to father's view of women. Women of Junket-suzuki no easy accept that Ranma was male."  
"That is an astute observation, child," Khu Lon replied sadly, "and unfortunately accurate. Thus far, only the Elders of the tribe, Xian Pu, Pir Fum, and some of the men are willing to accept you as one of us."  
"Ranma thankful even that much," the neo-girl responded. "So, who all going? Just you and Ranma?"  
"No, child," Khu Lon admonished. "Xian Pu has agreed to come with us, and we are bringing along Mu Tsu."  
"Is whole crowd of people, Ranma think. Twice what used to travel with." After a moment, Ranma asked. "Who Mousse?"   
"Someone who speaks Japanese better than you speak our own dialect, child," Khu Lon informed Ranma. "I think you will like him."  
"Ranma no ready to date man," the neo-girl retorted, glaring at Khu Lon. "Want cure, not husband!"  
"As amusing as that thought is, Ranma, that is not what I had in mind"  
"Is okay then." Ranma said, relieved. Just the concept of her dating a guy had her feeling a little ill at the moment. She was thankful when the tournament started and took her mind off of such distressing thoughts.  
  
Ranma was tired. Even though she had plenty of time to rest between her matches, as others took their turns on the suspended log, she still hadn't fully recovered from having drowned the previous day. She was also unfamiliar with her knew body, and was having some trouble compensating for the change in her reach and mass. Not to mention the distraction that bouncing around with breasts was causing her. She knew that she probably should have bowed out of the tournament as soon as she realized these things, but just couldn't bring herself to do so.  
The early matches had been the worst, as Ranma hadn't yet realized these shortcomings. She had nearly lost due to some truly stupid mistakes, but it didn't take her too long to figure out what her problems were and start adapting to them. As the tournament went on, the amazons could see a marked improvement in Ranma's skill. Unfortunately, a great many of the amazons were not too happy with Ranma's continued success in the tournament.  
Ranma had picked up enough of their dialect to understand what they thought she couldn't as she rested, waiting for her next turn on the log. While a few of them seemed to realize that she had spent her first few matches adjusting to her new body, others thought that she had been playing with them. Still more, having been defeated in mere moments by Ranma as the tournament went on, wished that Ranma had spent some time playing with them. Without meaning to, Ranma was alienating many of the amazons in the village because they thought that she was making sport of them.  
Ranma, becoming aware of this problem, was distressed. She didn't want to make any enemies (besides Kho Ome that is), but she didn't see how she could handle the situation. Having been raised on the road for a little over a decade by Genma had left her a bit deficient in social skills. She had had perhaps one friend in all her life, and hadn't had that friend for very long at that. She needed one badly, but didn't know the first thing about making friends. She couldn't just throw a match though. Her pride wouldn't let her, and she suspected that doing so wouldn't endear her to anyone anyway.  
If Ranma lost any of the matches, it wouldn't be because she hadn't tried her best. What she heard them say hurt, however, and she was beginning to look forward to leaving Joketsuzoku behind for however long it may be. She began to wonder if her father had turned her into a freak, and not just by dunking her in the Nyanniichuan either. The Art was all she had left of her former life, and even before the curse it had been very much the center of her world. But was it all there was to her life? Shouldn't there be more? She felt empty and lonely inside, and missed her father.  
Then she berated herself for missing a stupid idiot who had gotten her drowned, cursed, and then had abandoned her once he had found out that she was still alive. She still missed him though.  
  
It came as some relief to Ranma when the final match started. The events of the day were wearing her down physically and emotionally, and fatigue was starting to set in despite her attempts to stave it off. She had held it off during the last few matches, but had begun to feel dizzy and disoriented in the times between them. She had stopped understanding the dialect of Joketsuzoku two matches ago, and her vision was getting a little blurry and tunnel like. Her lungs hurt again, telling her that she had indeed not fully recovered from drowning the day before. She wanted this to be over with, so she could go somewhere and fall over. Just one more match, and she could do just that.  
Shaking off the fatigue one last time, she jumped onto the log and faced the other finalist, Xian Pu. Ranma didn't think that this would be an easy fight, although she felt that she could beat the girl before her if she was in top form. As it was, she felt nowhere near being in peak condition at the moment, so the fight was no sure thing. If she did her best, and gave it her all, she might still win. If she gave up, or just went through the motions, she would be dishonoring not only herself, but her opponent as well. As tired as she was, Ranma could not do that. She would give the fight everything she had. She could do no less.  
  
Xian Pu broke away from Ranma and jumped back to the far end of the log. This had become the toughest fight she had ever been in, as well as the longest. Blow after blow had been exchanged as they charged and counter-charged eachother repeatedly. Ranma, true to the form she witnessed in the neo-girl's previous fights, was decidedly more acrobatic during the match. Ranma would make risky leaps that were surprisingly hard for Xian Pu to exploit, and would frequently jump in and out of close combat range rather than stay up close where an unarmed opponent would normally have to.  
Deep in the subconscious mind of Ranma, her body ran through a priority checklist. [Am I in serious need of rest and recovery? Yes. Is anything-important riding on this fight? No. Is anyone's life at stake? No. Is there a cat anywhere nearby? No. Okay, it's nappy-time!]  
Half an hour after the match had begun, Xian Pu was very surprised when Ranma simply collapsed from exhaustion and fell off of the log.  
Ranma didn't recover again until that evening, when a nightmare similar to the one she had experienced the previous night had awakened her with a start.  
  
  
END CHAPTER TWO  
  
OMAKI THEATER PRESENTS: He's What!?  
  
"Is whole crowd of people, Ranma think. Twice what used to travel with." After a moment, Ranma asked. "Who Mousse?"  
"Your husband," Khu Lon informed the neo-girl. "You were not yet even an initiate when you beat him unconscious for glomping you after he mistook you for Xian Pu this morning. As an outsider of the opposite gender, you are now his wife. Ranma? Ranma?  
The neo-girl had feinted dead away...  
Mu Tsu looked up from where he had been waiting, astonished. "What? Again!?"  
  
END 


	3. Returning Home/Complications

Ranma - Misshapen Destiny  
A Ranma 1/2 - Sailor Moon fanfict by Tangent   
Pre-reading and editing assistance by:  
Lord Talon;  
Nevrmore;  
And some guy named Steve.  
  
  
A WORD FROM TANGENT: Some of you may, justifiably, object to my including night terrors (truly horrible, sleep disruptive nightmares that occur with alarming frequency) as part of a story. You would be right to say that it isn't funny. It isn't meant to be. In this timeline, Ranma has just gone through four traumatic experiences within a day's time (drowning, changing gender involuntarily, being sexually molested, and being abandoned by her father) and even in canon is known to have experienced a trauma so bad that it produced a deep-seated irrational phobia and other complications (the neko-ken training). I am using the night terrors to dramatize a point. Hopefully it will become clear in the story, and be more poignant for it.  
No, I do not think night terrors are funny. On the other hand, if you can face your fears and laugh at them in the context of a story, then more power to you. My fears, and yours, may not be the same as Ranma's, or as bad, but I can understand them and sympathize with him because I have my own.  
Well...enough of the editorial. On with the story...  
  
CHAPTER THREE: Returning Home  
ALTERNATELY: Complications  
  
NOTE: in this third section, Japanese dialogue is represented like so: "Good morning"; while other languages are represented like so: ^Good morning^. Specific thoughts are surrounded by [brackets], and Genma's signs (when he finally starts using them) by [[double brackets]].  
Also, form here on out, Cologne, Shampoo, and Mousse will be referred to as such, rather than their supposed 'authentic' names. This is due to the shift of the story from China to Japan.  
  
Ranma was at the pillar again. Her true masculine form was still trapped unmoving within its confines, and (as before) nothing she could do seemed to effect it in the slightest. It was all so very frustrating, making her feel helpless and weak...  
And then she heard it. Meowing as if from many cats as the boiling water in the lake drained away and the ground around her and the pillar raised into the walls of a deep pit. Turning around, she saw them. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of cats of all types and descriptions, every single one looking at her with hungry eyes...  
  
Ranma woke up, screaming from the nightmare. Just as she had several times a night for the past several nights since she, Cologne, Shampoo, and Mousse left Joketsuzoku to head for Japan. The little details varied, but all of the events were the same. And it nearly always ended with her impotent attempts to break through the crystal prison trapping her male self. The unexpected combination of it and her neko-ken nightmare was as unwelcome as it was terrifying. It made her feel so helpless and scared that she wanted to cry, not noticing that she already was.  
The last time she had nightmares so frequently had been just after she had learned the neko-ken technique. She had nearly died from that experience as well, and it was easily the more traumatic event in Ranma's opinion. The reoccurring nightmares from the neko-ken had finally petered out to just a few during a year, for which Ranma was grateful, but the recent trauma related nightmares had apparently drawn out the older, more terrifying, nightmare to its original frequency and intensity.  
Shampoo threw a pillow at her sobbing traveling companion. "Ranma be woman," she said, blearily. "Be quiet and let Shampoo sleep!"  
"Sorry," Ranma apologized, stifling her tears. It struck the neo-girl as kind of ironic that she encountered a sort of mirrored attitude reflecting the opposite side of the same sexist ideas that her father tried to feed her. In Joketsuzoku, women were expected to be the strong ones, physically and emotionally. While they had little problem expressing themselves usually, they were seldom given to extreme displays. Ranma had been given some leeway due to the recent traumas she had gone through, but Shampoo was already getting tired of being woken up several times a night by her screaming friend.  
[Of course,] Ranma thought, [Pop generally hit me for waking him up with my 'screaming and crying like a little girl'...and not just with pillows either.]  
"In morning, we in Japan," Shampoo stated. "Look for Ranma's family. Then, maybe, Shampoo get good night sleep!" Shampoo felt bad for the girl, but she really was beginning to wear on her nerves. During the day, Ranma was fine, but at night... Shampoo decided not to think about it, and amused herself with the prospect that Comb had finally managed to annoy someone who actually succeeded in terrifying her. She was also amused at Comb's indignation at having her place in the ranking tournament taken by an outsider who used to be male. It had made the little deviant furious when Ranma had placed second, just behind Shampoo in the ranking. The highest Comb had ever gotten had been twenty-ninth, and that had been considered a fluke.  
Shampoo shuddered as she remembered how close she came to losing the final match with Ranma. Both she and Ranma had done extremely well in their previous matches, which had worried Shampoo since Ranma fought without weapons. Their match was the toughest she had ever had, lasting perhaps a half an hour or so. Had Ranma not been still recovering from having drowned the previous day, Shampoo was sure that the newcomer would have defeated her. As it was, she wasn't sure that she would win a rematch.  
Ranma had come alive in those matches, like a blossoming flower. As the tournament had continued, she had become like a force of nature. She lived for the Art, she grew with the Art, and she was the Art. No, it hadn't been an easy victory for Shampoo by any means. She was proud to have won the match, for her victory placed her solidly at the top of the ranking, especially after having beaten such a worthy opponent.  
With these thoughts, Shampoo drifted off to sleep once more.  
Two hours later, she once again threw her pillow at Ranma, who was screaming...  
  
As the party disembarked at the port, they found that they had a new, but not totally unexpected problem. While Customs and Emigration back at the port in China had laughed at Ranma for having such a bad passport photo and the wrong gender listed, they had accepted the fact that her thumbprint matched the one on record and on her passport. Unfortunately, their Japanese counterparts were not so readily accepting. Ranma found herself faced with a full Recognition Inquiry, including a complete medical examination (which Ranma found to be very disconcerting and embarrassing). This was concurrent with a very thorough background check, and was followed by a cross-examination that had left one of the more obnoxious investigators with a broken jaw (much to the delight of his female partner).  
Much to the surprise of the investigators, other than the discrepancies with her gender, hair color, and height, the girl was a close match for the Ranma Saotome in the somewhat limited records that they could find on the boy. The real clincher had been the foot and palm-prints from the birth records, and the fingerprint set from Ranma's passport applications. Other than their smaller size, the prints were a perfect match for those on record. The only thing left to do was to contact Ranma's parents to see if they wanted to conduct genetic testing or if they would accept Ranma without such a measure (it was still a new technique after all).  
They were not happy to find out that Genma had abandoned Ranma in China and could not be reached. Still, the mother should be enough. Fortunately, Nodoka Saotome seemed amenable towards coming in. Unfortunately, they had neglected to mention that Ranma Saotome had inexplicably returned to Japan as a girl...  
  
Somewhere in China...  
Ryoga was running. He had been running for quite awhile now, ever since Genma Saotome had let slip that morning of his plans for him. Apparently, the old fool wanted him to take the place of his son, since Ranma had become a girl. Ryoga had suspected something was up a few days ago, when his former rival's father had returned from Joketsuzoku with only his own pack and refused to call him anything other than 'boy.' He had thought, at the time, that it was odd that Ranma wasn't with the amazons like the guide had said, but he now suspected that Ranma had indeed been there after all.  
Ryoga didn't know why Genma wanted him to take his son's place, but after spending nearly a week with the rather unique value system that the crazy old fool had, he decided that Ranma was better off wherever she was. Ryoga had spent the last week debating the value of being stuck as a cat for inconvenient lengths of time as opposed to staying with someone who seemed to have had deranged ideas as to how to train someone in martial arts for some time now. When Genma had slipped that morning, calling him 'Ranma,' and telling him that they were returning to Nerima to visit an old friend of his and introduce him to his prospective fiancées, Ryoga decided that it was worth the risks of being a cat for extended periods. The old man was obviously crazy, and he wanted nothing to do with him.  
"This ought to be far enough away..," Ryoga said to himself, finally stopping.  
"Ah, Ranma, my boy!" Genma exclaimed, looking up from where he had been cooking a camp dinner. "You're just in time to eat! I worried that you had run off this morning, but I should have known that you were just out exercising!"  
"GAHH!!!" Ryoga cried out in response, "How did you get here!?"  
  
Back in Japan...  
Nodoka was more than a little shocked when she had found out that the Ranma Saotome that had come home turned out to be a girl. She had immediately mentioned the seppuku pledge that Genma had made to raise Ranma to be a man among men, intending to frighten the impostor into revealing her crass deception. Although this had indeed distressed the girl, she had refused to deny being Ranma.  
"Mom, I will not deny who I am or what has happened to me," Ranma said flatly. In a more solemn and morose tone she continued. "If all of my accomplishments amount to nothing because of my change in gender, then it is not worth the pain to continue this life. I will commit seppuku if you wish..."  
Nodoka almost said yes on the spot, wanting to be rid of this impostor, but the tone in the girl's voice and the pain that she read in the girl's eyes prompted her to ask. "What accomplishments? What have you done in your life?"  
Ranma told her life story, as much as she was able to remember. Cologne and Mousse merely provided details on events since her transformation. That was enough for Nadoka. In the eyes of her mind and heart, she could see her gentle and loving, but sometimes thoughtless, husband make the stupid mistake of training Ranma in the neko-ken without reading the whole book. He must have reasoned that Ranma couldn't be a man among men if he had a phobia that could drive him berserk. It broke her heart when she realized that this had been why Genma had become sterner and eventually downright abusive towards his only son, as he tried to compensate for his error. He had pushed Ranma to the very limits, forcing him to study technique after technique and style after style, hoping to make Ranma the best fighter of his generation, all in the name of turning him into a man among men. Ranma, not knowing any other way of life, had risen to the challenge and dedicated his life to the Art.  
In the end, after being drowned, changed into a girl, molested by a stranger, and ultimately abandoned by her father, Ranma had continued on as best that she could. She had come home, broken, battle weary, and shattered, but no less a man for all that she was a girl. The mere fact that she was willing to accept the seppuku pledge was enough proof of that. More than enough, really. Nadoka's little samurai had come home.  
"Oh, Ranma," Nodoka cried tearfully. "I'm so sorry I ever let Genma take you away! I should never have accepted his thoughtless pledge. I'm so sorry!"  
"It's okay, Mom," Ranma said, trying to comfort her distraught mother. "It's okay. I'm here now, back from all my journeys. If honor demands that I commit seppuku, then I guess that's it then. I'm just sorry that I won't get a chance to know you."  
"No, Ranma," Nadoka choked out forcefully. "I just got you back after ten long years, I don't want to lose you now to some stupid vow that Genma made. I've had nightmares of having to stand at the ready to make sure that the seppuku was performed properly...where I had to use the honor sword in a way that broke my heart."  
"But, Mom," Ranma started, only to be interrupted.  
"No, Ranma, the vow has been fulfilled," Nodoka said flatly. "Gender aside, you have come home a 'man among men,' full of fire, pride, and honor." She took Ranma's hands inn her own. "It is not your fault that you have become a girl." Nodoka gathered her son turned daughter into her arms and sobbed gently. "The vow has been fulfilled, and I will hear no more of it!"  
"Um...okay," Ranma replied, slightly confused.  
"You have had such a hard and lonely childhood," Nodoka said, holding Ranma's shoulders at arm's length, smiling sadly. "Your father has neglected many areas that he should not have, and I suppose that it is up to me to correct that. I shall see to it that you learn and experience more about love, friendship, and happiness."  
"I think I'll like that, Mom," Ranma said gently, still a little confused.  
"You will start attending school regularly, of course."  
"Pop said that an education was useless to a martial artist..." Ranma remarked warily.  
"He was wrong to have said that," Nodoka admonished. "An education is always of use, no matter who you are! Yours has been badly neglected, and we will correct that as soon as you are properly registered."  
"Okay, Mom," Ranma sighed with resignation. "I'll go to school."  
"Don't feel so bad about this," Nodoka chided. "School is also where you will meet many people your own age. You will learn how to socialize and make friends there, as well as get a proper education."  
"Hai, that doesn't seem so bad," Ranma replied. She never had very many friends before, just the three amazons who were traveling with her and the childhood friend that she barely remembered from so long ago. A place where she was expected to make new friends, even if she had to learn how, seemed very enticing to the lonely girl.  
"You will have to be registered as a girl, of course," Nodoka stated as a thought occurred to her.  
"Um...okay," Ranma said nervously, wondering where this was heading.  
"Ah yes!" Nadoka said happily. "Until a cure is found, and you are restored as my son, I'll raise you as my daughter! I've always wanted one..." Nodoka heard a thump and looked back down at her child. She had to look a bit further down than she had just a moment ago.  
Ranma had feinted dead away...  
  
Back again to China...  
Ryoga was running once more. He had to get away from the crazy old man that wanted to turn him into Ranma. After spending the better part of a week with the deranged lunatic, he was convinced that Ranma had had a much worse life than even he himself had. He had to get away and find some help. The rotten bastard that had abandoned his own child and was trying to replace Ranma with him was a menace to society. A nice quiet stay in a friendly mental institute for the criminally insane would probably do wonders for the deluded maniac. Preferably one equipped to handle shock therapy.  
Now, if only he could get away long enough to find a nice friendly policeman...  
  
Once more to Japan...  
Naomi Mizura pondered over the unusual facts of the case she and her half-witted, obnoxious partner, Hajime, had begun investigating that morning. The girl claiming to be Ranma Saotome had seemingly turned out to be the boy in question. She had also turned out to be a temperamental martial artist who had taken none too kindly to the lewd, rude, and downright nasty way that Hajime had attempted to interrogate her. Naomi had figured that it had been only a matter of time before something like this had happened anyway. She was just glad that someone had reacted by hospitalizing him before she herself had finally given into the righteous impulse to send him there. The fact that the girl was a minor, and couldn't be sued, was a plus in her book. Naomi just carefully worded the report to make it abundantly clear that Genma Saotome had raised the girl, and that Nodoka could not be held responsible for her upbringing prior to having been reunited with her daughter. It also made it absolutely clear that Hajime had brought the girl's assault upon himself through his own lewd and obnoxious behavior.  
Naomi had quickly concurred with Nodoka's idea to raise Ranma as if the girl had been her long lost daughter all along, but had advised that they provide another name for the girl. If, as their story went, Ranma was under a curse that might one day be cured, than a separate identity permitted a smooth transition back to a male Ranma Saotome when the time came. What she didn't say, on the other hand, was that if the girl was part of an elaborate plan to take the boy's place, then his name wouldn't be ruined by her actions.  
Naomi had presented the idea to her superiors, who also concurred, and then presented a carefully polite plan to Nodoka. In this plan, the government would maintain the polite fiction of Ranma Saotome as having had a long lost twin sister until such time as when a complete cure could be found. In the meantime, Ranma would go about under a different name...perhaps 'Ranko' or something...at such times during which she was a girl. Nodoka readily consented to these measures, seeing the sense of them, even if she herself was already positive that the girl was indeed her son.  
  
Ranma recovered from her impromptu nap with her currently normal scream of utter terror. Nodoka rushed over to the couch that the neo-girl had been laid on and gathered her up into her arms. Ranma, encountering the new and completely unexpected sensation of a comforting and accepting mother, sobbed into her mother's embrace for a short while as Nodoka rocked her gently back and forth.  
"Ranma like that for while now," Shampoo stated, coming over. "Have many bad dream every night. Shampoo ashamed to say wasn't very understanding. Did not know whole story before."  
"'S all right, Shampoo," Ranma said, coming to herself at last. She felt more than a little embarrassed to have broken down like that, but leaned into her mother's comforting embrace for a while longer. "You didn't know what Pop had done to me...not all of it. Not by a long shot." Ranma shuddered, remembering past events with unwelcome clarity. "Used to have nightmares like this all the time. I should have known that he would do something to start them up again once they petered down to just a few during a year."  
Nodoka, who had thought that she had lost all feeling for Genma for what he had done to Ranma, was surprised to find part of herself growing colder still. She had the distinct impression that Ranma had glossed over some of the more traumatic events of her life during her story, and this new revelation about the nightmares seemed to confirm that this was the case. She could tell that Ranma was unused to being comforted, what with how she was still clinging to her like an unexpected life preserver that might suddenly disappear at any moment. Ranma looked as if she would bolt for cover at any moment, and probably would have hidden behind a mask of masculine pride had she been able to even temporarily turn back into one. Genma had been far from a perfect father to Ranma; in fact, he didn't seem to have been a father at all ever since the neko-ken training. He had much to answer for, and Nodoka would have her answers from him...even if she had to carve them out of him!  
  
  
Later, after Ranma had recovered enough to feel somewhat normal, she realized that she was now being referred to as 'Ranko' by anyone who cared to address her by name. This caused some nervous twitching at first, but this subsided when the idea behind this otherwise inexplicable occurrence had been explained. She still wasn't too happy with what the officials were calling a 'polite fiction', but was glad that her true name wasn't going to become enmeshed with her new identity as a girl.  
Nodoka, upon finding out that the amazons had yet to find a place to stay, invited them to stay at her house out of gratitude for the aid they had given 'Ranko' and for returning her 'daughter' to her. They accepted readily enough, but insisted that they would try to help around the house if they were going to be staying for any length of time. After a brief and mild argument, Nodoka consented to their counter offer.  
'Ranko' walked into her new home that evening with a feeling of excitement over her new life. Genma was becoming little more than a bitter memory now that she had someone who had shown her what a true parent was really like. She had more friends than she had ever had before, and would soon be leaning how to make even more once she started going to school which would be in a few days. Shampoo and Mousse would be attending as well (as soon as their student visas were filed since they had originally come over under visitation visas). Other than the fact that she was still a girl, life was looking pretty good at the moment.  
  
China:  
Genma-youma sat at the camp-fire she had made after the light rain had ended, and worried. The new boy might not do after all. He was obviously bothered by the terrifying image that Geanma's youma form presented (Okay, okay... terrifyingly cute image, but Genma still hadn't seen what her panda-cat-girl form really looked like, and thought that it must be horrible to behold). After all, while he was polite and respectful, well, more than the real Ranma had been anyway, he seemed to be awfully jittery and nervous around her. That, and he kept running off. Maybe this hadn't been such a hot idea after all.  
The boy wasn't really Ranma. Ranma was a girl that she had abandoned back in that village. A girl whose mother would never, *never* accept her for her own child. A tear rolled out of Genma's eyes at the injustice of it all. She wanted both her son and her wife back, but was too much of a coward to do anything about it. Maybe, just maybe, she sould have stayed with Ranma after all, so that the girl would have at least one parent around.  
But, no, that was a bad idea too. Genma's youma form was part cat and horrible to look upon. He couldn't do that to his only child... Not after the neko-ken training. She only wished that she could have comforted her son during his nightmares, but she just hadn't known *how*...  
  
Japan  
During the night, drawn to the sound of restless thrashing and whimpering from 'Ranko's' room, Nodoka gathered her sleeping daughter into her arms. 'Ranko's' frantic nightmares calmed down into peaceful dreams, and for the first time in a week, she had a good night's sleep.  
  
END.  
  
OMAKE THEATER PRESENTS: What's in a Name?  
  
"Um, Mom?" the girl formerly known as Ranma Saotome prompted.  
"Yes, dear?" replied Nodoka.  
"While I realize that you and the officials are trying to be helpful and all, I really have to ask you one thing."  
"And what is that, dear?"  
"WHY THE HECK DID YOU RENAME ME 'JOSEPHINE MARCH SAOTOME'!?!"  
"Well, I thought it was such a nice name..." One could practically hear the crickets and the birds as Ranma facefaulted into a particularly blank expression.  
  
END.  
  
DISCLAIMER: 'Ranma 1/2' and all characters therein belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogagukan, Kitty, and Viz Video. 'Sailor Moon' and all characters therein belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Toei Animation Co. Ltd. This fanfict has been produced for my own enjoyment and to pass on without profit. Other characters that come into play in this fanfict may or may not be pulled from other sources (including other fanficts, RPGs, manga, anime, literature, or possibly even *GASP* American comic books!). 


	4. Ranko's School Daze/Definitely Not Ninja...

Ranma - Misshapen Destiny  
A Ranma 1/2 - Sailor Moon fanfict by Tangent  
Pre-reading and editing assistance by:  
Lord Talon;  
Nevrmore;  
And some guy named Steve.  
  
  
  
CHAPTER FOUR: Ranko's School Daze  
ALTERNATELY: Definitely Not Ninja High School!  
(Apologies to Ben Dunn!)  
  
NOTE: Ranma Saotome, if you hadn't been paying attention in the previous chapter, is now being referred to as 'Ranko Saotome'.  
  
Ranko was at the pillar once again, trying to shatter the crystal that imprisoned her true masculine form. A feeling of dread washed over her as she turned around to see the shadowy mass of the cats that tormented her. The cats suddenly drew back as a katana appeared between them and their target. Nodoka then appeared, wielding the weapon before her in fierce defiance of the felines. Ranko felt safe and protected as her mother came to her defense.  
  
Nodoka looked down at her sleeping daughter as she caressed her gently. Until a moment ago, Ranko had once again been tossing about and whimpering fearfully in her sleep. Apparently, the nightmares had let up a little since they had been reunited, but Nodoka still cursed her fool of a husband for causing their child such torment as this. What damage had he done in his quest to produce a 'man among men' to give his only child such terrible nightmares night after night, even after being separated from him? What kind of horrible monster had he become that he struck his son for waking him up with his screaming instead of trying to comfort him and drive his fears away? What kind of man had Genma become?  
Nodoka was determined to find out, and Kami help him if Genma set foot in her presence once again!  
  
In the wilds of China:  
Genma sneezed himself awake, wondering what set that off. He looked around and noticed that the new boy was gone again, but thought nothing of it. He'd actually given up on chasing the boy down a few days ago, but the lad had continued to show up and accused him of persuing him relentlessly anyway. It had definitely been a mistake to try to replace Ranma with him.  
He couldn't replace Ranma with anybody. No one could replace his only child, he knew that now. If only he didn't turn into a freakish, part-cat monster (Ranma could handle anything else, he was sure). He had given so much to his child, had brought Ranma up to be the best that he could...  
But he had done so much of it the wrong way. He had done so many things to hurt his son, when he thought that it was just 'tough love'...  
Genma wanted his family back. He knew this ever since he had thought that Ranma had died and would be gone forever. For a little while, he had thought that he could replace his only child in his heart, but he was wrong... So very wrong...  
Yet another tear rolled down Genma's face as he faced the prospect that he was finally growing up...  
  
In Crossdresser Central... I mean the Saotome home, Japan:  
'Ranko' was fidgeting in her new school uniform as she sat down for breakfast. She felt uncomfortable, not because it didn't fit well (which was not the case), but because a part of her felt really silly wearing a pleated skirt. For that matter, she felt embarrassed to wear any other kind of skirt... or other feminine attire when it came down to the point. She knew that these feelings were unreasonable, considering that she was a girl, and would remain so for the foreseeable future. Besides, her mother wanted to raise her as a 'daughter' until such a time as the curse was either cured or at least brought down to its normal levels. She just wished that Sakura High hadn't registered cherry blossom pink for the skirt and kerchief of the girl's uniform.  
"You look lovely, Ranko" Nodoka smiled at her daughter as she served her breakfast. Ranko's flinch at being called by her new name, or possibly by being called 'lovely' or being reminded about her feminine attire didn't escape her notice. Her daughter had a clear distaste for wearing feminine clothing of any sort, even if she could see the need for it. In this case, until the curse permitted Ranko to become her son again, there clearly was a need. There was also a need for a better way for Ranko to perceive the situation.  
"Is nice outfit," commented Shampoo, trying to relieve some of the tension that she felt brewing in her friend. She still felt a little guilty about how she had blown off Ranko's problems during their journey to Japan, and wanted to be a better friend for it. "Shampoo is to be wearing same outfit soon. Is good to know it be loose enough to fight in."  
"I do hope you're not going to be looking for trouble while you are attending school, girls," Nodoka admonished.  
"No, Mother," Ranko replied. "But don't expect me to hold my peace if I see someone picking on people who can't defend themselves." Surprisingly, Ranko had picked up her sense of justice from her father, Genma, who had gone on and on about how 'it is a Martial Artists duty' to do this or that. Genma had even practiced what he preached on rare occasion. More often however, he would send his son to do the job, regardless of risk or ability. A lot of good had been done during their journeys, and Genma had even done a little of it (very little).  
"Shampoo no start fights, but will finish one if happens," was Shampoo's response to Nodoka's admonishment.  
"Fair enough," Nodoka commented, sipping her morning tea.  
"Keep in mind that Japan's laws are different than our own, great granddaughter," Cologne advised. "Do not resort to violence too easily, and try not to kill anyone if you can help it. Ranko already knows how to adjust her power down to her opponents' ability to withstand it, and is able to gauge that ability quickly and accurately. I suggest that you learn from her, if she is amenable to it."  
"I don't mind," Ranko declared, "but I don't know how good a teacher I would be."  
"This would be good practice for you then," Nodoka pointed out.  
"I too, would wish to learn," interjected Mousse. His motivation was seated in his desire to win Shampoo's affection. His chief problem wasn't his ability to defeat her in combat (he was pretty sure that he could by this point), but with his ability to do so without crippling or killing her. He had no desire to do either and, in the past, this had caused him to lose fights to her due to his fear of hurting her. Ranko had proven capable of defeating Shampoo without hurting her (as enamored with Shampoo as he was, he could still see who the better fighter was), and would be an excellent source of the knowledge he sought.  
"Sure, no problem," Ranko assured him. Then she decided to confront the issue that she had been thinking about for the past day or so. "Um, Mother?"  
"Yes dear?"  
"I would like to continue my training in the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts if at all possible. Pops said that he had trained with a guy named Tendo," Ranko paused for a moment, trying to remember. "Soun Tendo, I think." She pulled out the postcard that had intrigued her when she had found it, and handed over to her mother. "I think he was going to take me to see him."  
"I will consider the matter, Ranko," Nodoka said carefully. "He was a dear friend to the family, but I haven't seen him in many years. If he has changed in the manner that your father had, I do not wish you to take up your training under him."  
"That seems yet to be determined," Cologne pointed out. "I suggest that you meet him first before you cast any condemnations."  
"You are right, of course," agreed Nodoka. Then she looked at the time and spoke to Ranko. "Now hurry off to school, young lady. You don't want to be late on your first day!"  
  
* * *  
  
Ryoga was ecstatic. After many days on the run (one of which, unaccountably, apparently in Brazil instead of China), he had finally ended up in the one place he was positive that the crazy old man wouldn't follow. Joketsuzoku was not a place that Genma Saotome wished to return to. Of course, the spear-wielding amazons did present something of a problem, but they didn't worry Ryoga too much. All he had to do was explain the situation and talk to Ranma, right?  
  
* * *  
  
Usagi Tsukino and Luna, her cat, worried over the Sailor Senshi's new problem. Jadeite was apparently no longer a problem, and their identities seemed to be unaccountably secure, but there was a new dark warrior in Jadeite's place named Nephrite. This new adversary's methods differed from Jadeite's in that Nephrite seemed to pick individuals to focus on, rather than depending on random chance with a general trap. Thus far, he had attacked Mollie's friend Katie, a gardener in the park, and Miss Lambert. Ami and Rei had yet to figure out what the connection between any of the targets was besides the simple fact that, like Jadeite's victims, all three had been somewhere in or around Juban when they were attacked. This told then surprisingly little as of yet, other than the fact that their enemy seemed to be content to operate within convenient reach thus far.  
All such thoughts were abruptly cast aside when Luna remembered to look at the time. "Usagi, if you don't hurry, you are going to be late for school!"  
"Yeek! You're right!" Usagi grabbed her school stuff and rushed downstairs and out the door. "BymomnotimeforbreakfastIgottahurryorI'llbelateforschoolIloveyoubyebye!"  
Ikuko Tsukino called out to her rapidly disappearing daughter, "Usagi! You forgot your lunch!" She didn't notice as Luna raced out the still open door and after Usagi.  
  
Cologne extended her mystic senses once again, as she had several times before since she had arrived in the Juban district a few days ago. She could feel the presence of mystic forces being arrayed in opposition in the area, but both sides were indistinct and hard to pinpoint precisely, as if being cloaked from detection (which was probably the case). The only reason she could feel either faction at all when they weren't actively doing something was the familiarity of the forces. Among the treasures back at Joketsuzoku and also among those she had brought with her, were artifacts that resonated with the energies that composed either side of this ancient conflict.  
These treasures had long since been cloaked from detection themselves, and were used by the amazons primarily as a teaching aid when it came to certain old legends. Legends about a magical kingdom on the moon and how it fell protecting the world from invasion from a dark dimension. Legends which apparently had been reborn into the world and were once again in conflict. Except that there was no Moon Kingdom anymore to take the brunt of the assault should the dark dimension, the 'Negaverse' if she remembered the legends correctly, once again gain access to a stable, long lasting portal from their realm.  
Well, this time the conflict was taking place on Earth. This time the warriors of the former Moon Kingdom would have allies. This time, may all the Kami help her, the warriors would receive the help they needed so long ago, but were constrained from asking for.  
For now, though, it would be prudent for Cologne to set up her own wards and mystic defenses. If both sides felt the need to be cloaked this early in there struggle, then there was ample reason for it, for it meant that both sides were capable of at least rudimentary detection of each other should they not be hidden. Then it would be best to prepare Shampoo and Mousse for the upcoming battles. Ranma, or 'Ranko' as she was now being called, would be more than welcome as a warrior as well. Perhaps the only real good that had come out of being raised by her idiot father was the absurd amount of training that Ranko had received while growing up. Between that, and the possibility of certain legends about those touched by the Nyanniichuan turning out to be true, Ranko would probably become invaluable in the upcoming struggle.  
Too bad they didn't have any more warriors touched by Jusenkyo. Depending on the springs involved, such warriors would have been invaluable as well.  
  
The Kami are sometimes said to have a sense of humor...  
  
* * *  
  
After hearing out the strange boy who somehow knew their dialect, the remaining elders of Joketsuzoku decided that it would be prudent to send this 'Ryoga' to Cologne. They had just received a letter the day before explaining that she had found Ranma's mother, and was staying with the Saotomes until she had arranged for a place of her own. They told Ryoga of this, and said that they would send him on his way.  
"Umm...Okay," Ryoga started uncertainly. "But how do I avoid Ranma's crazy father? He's still after me, trying to turn me into his son. And my sense of direction isn't all that great to begin with..."  
"That shouldn't be much of a problem. We could just mail you there." This was only partly meant as a joke. If the boy didn't go for it, they could always send him off with a guide.  
"What do you mean?" Ryoga asked dubiously.  
"You said that you turn into a cat, right?"  
"That's right," Ryoga confirmed.  
"Well...according to the letter that we received from elder Cologne, the outer world now has agents that can guaranty overnight delivery anywhere in the world..."  
"I see what you're getting at," Ryoga sighed. "I may as well go along with it. With my sense of direction, this would be the best way to be sure that I got there anytime this year..." [Overnight delivery won't be so bad,] Ryoga reasoned. [And I'll be able to warn Ranma and his mother about his...err...her lunatic father's deranged plans to replace her with another son. I wonder what she looks like now?]  
Unfortunately, the elders of Joketsuzoku didn't remember about what Cologne had told them about Ranma's Neko-ken training until they had already mailed Neko-Ryoga...  
  
Certain interested Kami were already laughing their asses off, while others were more politely amused. While the Kami are sometimes said to have a sense of humor, a few of them are thought to be practical jokers...  
  
* * *  
  
Ranko carried her bento outside and away from the boys in her class. She felt that she had made a relatively good impression with her teachers and classmates, and didn't want to ruin it by giving in to the urge to punch the next guy to ask her out. She hadn't made any friends yet, as she was too busy trying to absorb the lessons to do more than basic introductions so far. Ranko hoped that she hadn't put anybody off by this, but Nodoka had said that an education was important, and Ranko didn't want to disappoint her mother. Still, those few times that she felt that she could safely divide her attention, she had engaged in idle chatter with her classmates, so Ranko didn't think things were going too badly just yet.  
(Actually, Ranko came across to her teachers and classmates as being more than a little shy, which made sense to them since her father had raised her alone on the road. More sympathetic classmates were currently setting those boys who were already trying to hit on her in their place.)  
Under a tree, several blocks away (Ranko really wanted to get away from those boys), Ranko saw a couple of girls who were apparently from the nearby junior high, one of whom appeared to be upset. She decided to go over too see what was wrong.  
Ami was about to offer what little was left of her own lunch to Usagi when she noticed the redheaded girl coming towards them. She didn't remember seeing the girl before, and she was wearing a different fuku than the one for Crossroads Junior High School (it looked like the fuku used by Sakura High School, which was nearby but several blocks away). Ami greeted the girl tentatively, "Hello, may we help you?"  
"Not really, I just came over to see what was wrong," explained Ranko.  
"I forgot my lunch!" wailed Usagi tearfully. "I'm so hungry! WAAAHHHHH!"  
"Here, you can have some of mine," Ranko offered. "I had a big breakfast and mom made me lots."  
"Oh, thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'm so grateful!" exclaimed Usagi. Ranko sat down next to her and portioned off what seemed to be a reasonable amount for the starving girl.  
"Pardon me for asking," Ami started, "but aren't you from Sakura High School?"  
"Yeah, I'm a new student there," Ranko confirmed. "I'm Ranko Saotome of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts." Ami was nonplused by the extended formal introduction, especially since it was delivered so casually (which was a bit of a mixed message at best). Usagi, on the other hand, wasn't put out at all, and happily greeted her new friend as she ate.  
"I'm Usagi Tsukino, Ranko-sempai, and this is my friend Ami Mizuno!"  
"So, what brings you here, Ranko-sempai?" Ami asked curiously.  
"Well...I'm not used to being around a lot of people since I was raised on the road by my pop," Ranko hedged. "Some of the boys seemed to be too interested in me for my comfort at the moment, and I'm trying to avoid them. I'll go back before my next class is supposed to start."  
"Oh," replied Ami, who seemed to be satisfied with this explanation. She was a little shy herself, so she thought she understood Ranko's dilemma.  
"You should be happy that the boys are paying attention to you," announced Usagi, ever the proponent of romance.  
"Ah...that's not something I feel ready for just yet," Ranko responded shakily. [That's something I hope I never have to be ready for,] she thought, disturbed by the notion. [Never, never, never!]  
During the remainder of the lunch period, Ranko found herself bombarded by questions from Usagi and the occasional one from Ami. The two girls seemed nice and friendly, and Ranko ended up telling them a condensed version of her life with her father followed by her being reunited with her mother at long last. She left out such confusing details as Jusenkyo and the fact that she was really a guy named Ranma who happened to be under a curse. She also tried to keep her story light, but her memories were far too bitter for that, and she was silently crying by the time that she had to go.  
"Well, I gotta go if I'm going to get to class on time," Ranko said as she gathered up her bento and furoshiki (carrying cloth). She then startled Ami and Usagi by reaching the wall in two quick bounds followed by clearing it with a single leap and then racing off in the direction of Sakura High School by rapidly running and jumping across the rooftops.  
"That...that was amazing!" exclaimed Ami, who wasn't quite sure that she believed what she was seeing.  
"I'll say," agreed Usagi, equally astonished. "Do you think she could be another Sailor Senshi?"  
"I hadn't thought of that yet," Ami replied. "She could be, I suppose, but neither you, Rei, nor I can leap like that when we aren't in Senshi form."  
"I don't think we can leap around like that even when we are Senshi," Usagi pointed out. "At least...not that fast, anyway!"  
"Keep in mind that she could also be another Negaverse warrior, or under their influence, Usagi," Ami continued.  
"Now you're beginning to sound like Luna! I think she's a very nice girl. She couldn't be part of the Negaverse!"  
"She could still be under their influence," Ami insisted.  
"Luna, Luna, Luna!"  
"What?" asked Luna, who had just arrived. She didn't always try to meet Usagi during her lunch break, and had wanted to avoid doing so today so she wouldn't have to listen to her forgetful charge's complaints about being hungry, but she had sensed something strange and changed her mind.  
"Yeek!" exclaimed Usagi, startled once more. "Don't do that!" Luna just sighed.  
"I feel some strange energy about," started Luna. "It could be from the Negaverse!"  
"See! I told you!" Usagi said to Ami, feeling vindicated. "Just like Luna!"  
"Usagi!" Luna tried to continue.  
"No time, Luna," Usagi blurted out as she started to run off, "Ami and I have to get back to class!"   
  
"Welcome home, Ranko," Nodoka greeted her daughter as she returned home. "How was your first day of school?"  
"It was okay, I guess," Ranko replied. "I tried real hard to pay attention to the teachers during classes like you wanted me to, and I talked some with my classmates..."  
"That's wonderful!" Nodoka said encouragingly. She didn't want to put her child off school, so it was important to praise Ranko for the things that went right. Especially since she also had to give a reprimand as well. In a more serious tone, she continued. "I received a call from your school today."  
"It's about lunch, isn't it?" asked Ranko in trepidation. She had been reprimanded by her teacher about leaving school grounds without permission during her lunch break. She had to stand in the hall for a bit with a sign around her neck, which was kind of embarrassing, but wasn't so bad. Genma usually spent hours, or even days, scolding her back when she was a guy living on the road with his father. Genma also had a more physical idea of proper punishment, but Ranko had always dreaded the incessant verbal abuse more.  
"It's important that you don't start getting any bad habits in school, dear," Nodoka chided gently. She had seen the amount of dread that passed behind her daughter's eyes, completely out of proportion with the amount of trouble she was in, so decided to tone her reprimand down a little. As much as Ranko didn't want to admit it, she was quite fragile at the moment, and Nodoka had no desire to cause her any undue turmoil. "It wasn't so bad this time, because it was your lunch break, but you really shouldn't just leave school grounds like that."  
"Gomen, mother, I was just trying to avoid some of the boys in my class." Ranko was still nervous, but things didn't seem to be getting as bad as she thought a moment ago.  
"Well, why don't you tell me all about it?" Nadoka prompted. Cologne, who had been listening discretely for the more personal part of the reprimand to end, ushered Shampoo and Mousse into the room. Ranko told them about her day, and why she had wanted to avoid certain boys during lunch. As it turned out, the rest of her classmates, male and female alike had set the more insistent and pushy boys in their place during her absence. This had startled Ranko when she had found out, as she had left precisely because she wanted to resist the urge to hit them herself. She had thanked everyone who had stood up for her, and opened up a little more out of gratitude. Much to the chagrin of her would be suitors however, the only boys that Ranko opened up to were the ones who weren't trying to date her.  
By the end of her story, everyone in the Saotome home was chuckling lightly. Ranko promised to behave herself in school, happy that the reprimand had been light.  
  
Later that night, as Ranko settled into bed, she thought over the day's events. She felt that she had made many friends that day, not the least of which were the two junior high school girls, Ami and Usagi, who had been there for her at a time when she didn't even know she needed support. She had only realized that after the fact, when she discovered that her burden of grief over having been abandoned seemed to be lighter once again. Until that point, only her mother had been able to drive that particular pain from her heart. Ami and Usagi (especially Usagi) just seemed to radiate with a kind of cheerful friendliness and concern that had allowed her to release some of her burden of grief. She would have to find them and thank them later.  
  
END CHAPTER FOUR.  
  
OMAKE THEATER PRESENTS: Lost in the Mail  
With special thanks to Lord Talon, who suggested the idea.  
  
Two postal workers looked at the package that should never have even reached their desk in the first place. It had postage marks from all over the world already, but for some reason was only postmarked earlier that day. The address of origin was from some village in China, and the destination was a private residence in Japan. While the stickers could be a hoax, there was no mistaking the express, overnight delivery markings on it as well.  
"What's this package doing in Germany anyway?" asked the one clerk, confused.  
"We don't have time to worry about that right now," stated the other clerk promptly. "Just slap a sticker on it and get it on to the next flight to Japan right away!"  
Neko-Ryoga wondered why, in the past several hours he had been in the box, he had over heard no less than sixteen distinct languages talking about what seemed to be a postal anomaly. With a feline shrug, he settled into the set of his clothes that the amazons had thoughtfully folded up and packed along with him. If what he heard was any indication, it was going to be a long night and he may as well get some rest.  
  
END.  
  
DISCLAIMER: 'Ranma 1/2' and all characters therein belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogagukan, Kitty, and Viz Video. 'Sailor Moon' and all characters therein belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Toei Animation Co. Ltd. This fanfict has been produced for my own enjoyment and to pass on without profit. Other characters that come into play in this fanfict may or may not be pulled from other sources (including other fanficts, RPGs, manga, anime, literature, or possibly even *GASP* American comic books!).  
  
A WORD FROM TANGENT: Surprisingly enough, I was at some odds as to how to approach this chapter. While I had a clear idea as to what I wanted to do, having those events occur while 'Ranko' was attending Furinken High School was problematic at best. And then Lord Talon informed me that the Saotome home was in Juban and not Nerima as I had originally thought. This not only set thing back on their original track, but opened up some intriguing possibilities as well...  
Which, of course, is why you should all thank Lord Talon for giving me the inspiration and encouragement to turn this into a Ranma 1/2 - Sailor Moon crossover after I've already done three complete chapters in which I don't even mention the Senshi at all!  
  
A WORD FROM LORD TALON: Good evening, folks!  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sakura High School, like Crossroads Junior High School, is a fictional school in the Juban district. Any resemblance between it and any actual school is purely coincidental. The Sailor Fuku worn by the girls has, as noted in this fanfict, a cherry blossom pink skirt and kerchief, a fact that annoys Ranko to no end.  
Some of you may ask how the amazons of Joketsuzoku knew of the Moon Kingdom and the Negaverse in their legends. Well...you're just going to have to wait and see now, won't you?  
  
ONE FURTHER NOTE: Yes, I'm aware that I'm mixing english and japanese spellings for certain names. For example: Crossroads Junior high (if it isn't a private school) should be Juban Jr. High School, while Sakura High School should be Juban High School for the same reasons. I just prefer thes names, the same way I prefer using the westers order of personal name first. 


End file.
